The death toll from the Cagayan De Oro City blast on Friday night has now climbed to eight.

Dr. Marciano Jun Agustin died at 6:15 am today while admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Poly-Medic Plaza.

Unilab Philippines employee Reynaldo Dalupan also died Sunday night.

The number of injuries from the blast has risen to 48 but most have already been released from the hospital.

The blast ripped through a restaurant in the Limketkai mall in the city Friday night.

President Aquino has ordered a thorough investigation into the bombing.

Palace Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the president wants proper procedures in the investigation to be followed.

There are speculations that the attack was meant to derail the peace talks between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government but Valte said they would leave the matter to the investigators.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said a full-blown investigation is ongoing on the Cagayan De Oro bombing with police from Camp Crame helping local investigators.

Meanwhile, Cagayan De Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno said they had a conference with the police, city officials, and stakeholders and conducted a re-enactment of the scene.

“There have been good leads already, but I’m afraid I’m not at liberty this time to discuss them in public, given that we don’t want to undermine or set-back the gains so far achieved by our investigators,” he said in an interview with ANC.

The local government of Cagayan De Oro has extended assistance to those who were injured in the blast.

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Former world boxing champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr. is set to make his return to the squared circle as he faces Brazilian William Prado on March 28 at the main event of "Pinoy Pride 30: D-Day."
The bout, which will be for the vacant North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight title, will take place at the Mall of Asia Arena.
It will be the first time he will fight in his own turf since he defeated Raul Martinez via a 4th-round stoppage at the Araneta Coliseum in 2009.

Top officials of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi express their support for President Aquino amid calls for his resignation. But they were not as unanimous in supporting the passage of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law.

The Justice Department says it got valuable testimony from vital witnesses in Mamasapano, Maguindanao - site of the encounter that led to the death of 44 SAF troopers, 18 MILF members, and a number of civilians.

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The camp of detained Sen. Ramon ''Bong'' Revilla Jr. has filed a petition before the Sandiganbayan asking that the senator be allowed to visit his son, Cavite Vice-Governor Jolo Revilla, at the hospital.

Some senators on Tuesday asked the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) officials to explain new photos allegedly showing MILF members training with the Abu Sayyaf in Panglima Estimo, Sulu.

Amid coup rumors and the controversy over the Mamasapano encounter, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) held a unity walk along EDSA as part of the People Power celebration.

Residents of Barangay Maitomaig in Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao have started to pack their things and flee their homes following after reports that armed men had blocked GenSan-Cotabato National Highway using tires which caused motorists to stop and go back.